Improvement in cartridge-boxes



` entirely beyond the side of the box.

UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

CHARLES C. MACCONNELL, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARTRIDGE-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,136, dat d June 16, 1874; application filed February ll, 1874V To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. MAoCo-N- NELL, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cartridge- .Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a view of my improved cartridgebox opened, with one side broken away, to show the construction of the same. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 3 is an outside view.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

My invention consists ofva cartridge-box for metallic cartridges, provided with a delivering' apparatus for delivering one cartridge at a time, and so constructed that another cartridge is immediately fed forward to take the place of the one removed, and so on until the box is emptied.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully.

The box a is of the usual form, having a flap lid, b,.which folds over and but-tons at c. Inside of this box is a case, constructed preferably of tin, having a series of slightly-inclined shelves, e, extending almost the entire width `of the box, the remaining space f being of sufficient width to permit the free passage of a cartridge, g. Arranged on the bottom of the box, and sliding forward by pressure applied to the knob h, is a slide, fi, containing a drawer, k, at its front edge. The slide may be moved forward, so as to bring the drawer This drawer has no bottom, and is designed simply for the purpose of pushing out or carrying the cartridge which is fed into it beyond the side of the box, so that it shall drop through the open bottom into the hand Vof the user. The slide fi is attached to the rear end of the box a by means of a spring, I, of any desired'coning placed on all the shelves, and a vertical row upon the side beyond the end of the same. Vhen it is desired to take out a cartridge, the slide 1J is drawn forward by means of the knob, causing the first cartridge g to be pushed beyond the side of the box, and to drop through the open bottom of the drawer into the hand of the user. The spring immediately retracts the slide, and the next cartridge in the vertical row drops down into the drawer. This causes the whole row on the top shelf c to roll down its inclined surface and iill up the vacant space. This operation is repeated until the cartridges from the top shelf, and then from the other shelves successively, have all been taken out of the box.

In order to prevent the cartridges from becoming displaced or fouled in the box as the latter is gradually emptied, I have placed the flaps or leaves p above each shelf, so that when the cartridges have rolled down and cleared that part of the shelf the same shall be free to fall, and prevent them from turning and assuming a longitudinal direction on the shelf. This insures the proper feeding of the cartridges, and guards against the possibility of any fouling in the box.

For the purpose of opening and lling the box with ease, I hinge the shelves e, as at el. This permits me to throwv them forward, turning on the point e, and to lill the box with ease. As the shelves thus secured would be liable to flap and vibrate when the box is partially or entirely empty, I turn up the ends, as at c2, a sufficient distance to support the next shelf in a slightly-inclined position.

It will be seen that each shelf lrests upon the turned-up end e2 of the shelf below, and that when the lid is closed the braces thus formed will hold the shelves properly rigid.

Any other device, such as a spring or hook of any kind for fastening the shelves down, may be used instead of the turned-up end.

In order that the box may stand in a proper position when strapped to the body, I attach the loop t diagonally across the back. Then when the box is in place it inclines forward to the lower delivering-corner, and insures the feedin g forward of the cartridges to that point.

The superior advantages of my improved box over the old forni, which had to be opened every time a cartridge was needed, are too evi dent to need comment upon.

Vliat I clztini as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In it cartridge-box, the combination of :t series of-inovable inclined shelves mid a verti cal feed-channel, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination ot' the inclined pivoted shelves, the vertical feed channel, und the open bottomed discharging drawer, substantially as specified.

3. The slide z', provided with zt knob, h, :t spring, I, for withdrawing it, and :i drawer with nn open bottom, for delivering the cartridge, substantially as described.

4. rIhe flaps p, in combination with the shelves e, to prevent the turning,` and consequent fouling of the cartridges during the elnptying of the boX, substantially as described.

5. In a cartridge-box, the hinged shelves e, having a turned-up end or other suitable staying` device, as described.

In testimony whereof I, the said CHARLES C. MACCONNELL, have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES C. MACCUNNELL. Titnesses Jol-IN G. MACCONNELL, T. B. KERR. 

